Roaches get put on autopilot with the power of Kinect

A group of NC State researchers have incorporated the Kinect into a "system for automated control of terrestrial insect biobots."

We've been more than a little disappointed with motion controlled gaming ever since Microsoft and Sony released their respective hardware to compete with the Wii. It might not be the killer app the Kinect needs, but a group of NC State researchers have incorporated the motion sensor into a "system for automated control of terrestrial insect biobots." That's right, they are steering bugs electronically.

Researchers developed the electronic interface wired to the bugs back in 2012, but adding the Kinect to the equation lets the researchers effectively put the roaches on autopilot while gathering data about their behavior.

The long-term goal of the project is to equip the resilient roaches with sensors to detect survivors in a disaster zone. Honestly, at this point I'm more inclined to get behind autonomous control of insects before I add them to my daily diet.